Fly Away
by Bookworm Till The End
Summary: Another songfic!  It's longer this time.  Happy Belated Thanksgiving Everybody!


Disclaimer- I own nothing at all. I know. I've cried over it at night.

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Some people make it their life's goal to become the perfect stereotype for whatever or whoever they idolize. For most people, that's a celebrity of sorts or a superhero. For me, I idolize Wonder Woman. It's too bad that in the Burg, if you're a woman, you're supposed to be exactly the opposite. The perfect housewife. Cue funeral music, cause that means I'm screwed.

I can hear it now: "Ladies and gentlemen, we are gathered here today not to mourn death, but to praise life…" and all that stuff.

One of these days I know I'm going to just jump in my POS car and just drive and drive until I see the end of the world. Or, at least, the end of Trenton and the Burg.

_Oh, I swear this town,_

_Gets smaller every day,_

_And I'm waitin for my chance,_

_I'm gonna break away._

I had decided that that day might just be today, and that what I was doing was for the best. After my sister came home, I just couldn't take it anymore. It was way to much pressure to get married and have kids and settle down.

My mother was making my life unbearable to the point of near insanity. Not that anyone else was much better.

Joe on the other hand had already made me insane. His ultimatums and demands and were getting so old.

I woke up one morning thinking that everyone else was trying so hard to make me into the perfect Burg housewife that I was losing sight of what was really important…what _I_ want. I knew just how to fix that and who could help me. The only problem was getting him to agree.

_I'm so sick and tired,_

_Of bein told what's good for me,_

_People got lots of ideas, _

_Of who I'm supposed to be._

I drove into the RangeMan garage and felt a fit of nerves wash over me as I gave a little finger wave to the cameras. I was pretty sure no one would care that I was here, but I was scared about whether he would help me or ship me off to a safe house.

Major dilemma.

I walked into the elevator doors straight into a brick wall. Although it wasn't exactly bricks, just muscle. Boy that makes me sound like the biggest idiot or weakling in the universe.

I looked up into big, dreamy, molten lava eyes and smiled. Ranger smiled back down at me and pulled me into a hug. He knew something was up.

We rode all the way up to the seventh floor in silence and without interruption. As I stepped into the forum, I thought about how many guys were probably sitting in the control room, watching us, and got a wolf grin on my face.

I pushed Ranger against the wall and kissed him brutally. He must've been caught off guard, because he hesitated before returning the kiss. When we pulled apart I saw a look of realization and possibly disappointment flash through his eyes. I smiled at him and we walked inside.

_Angel carry me,_

_Oh so far away,_

_Make my body never,_

_Touch the ground._

_And if I promise you,_

_I'll be back someday,_

_Will you set me free,_

_So I can fly away?_

He pulled me over to the couch in the living room and sat down, pulling me down to sit next to him. "Relax," he said softly while rubbing my back and pulling me flush against him. I did as I was asked and relaxed into him.

About ten minutes later I was afraid that I would fall asleep and miss my chance to ask his help with the plan.

"Ranger," I began while sitting up and looking him in the eye. His face grew serious, as though he was preparing himself for the worst possible thing that I could say. "Carlos, I need to get away for a while. Decide what I want out of life. I can't do that here, there's too much pressure to be something I'm not. I want to go to Miami, but I've never been there and don't know what parts are good and bad. Once I leave, I'm not coming back until I'm done thinking, so I can't go down and check and come back. I don't want anyone to stop me. I have to do this. I need some recommendations from you. I don't want money or anything, just to make my intentions clear. Please?" I gave him puppy dog eyes and waited.

He sighed and grinned slightly at me before starting. "I was expecting this. Maybe not Miami, but leaving. Just understand that I don't want you to go, but I know you need to, so I'll help you out. I suggest you stay at the RangeMan building and work there while you're gone. I can make sure that you're safe while still letting you have space to think."

I thought it over for a few minutes before answering, "I'm coming back, but staying at the building would help a ton. I'll need a job until I come back. I really would appreciate the help, Ranger. You have no idea how much. When can you have arrangements for me to start?"

He got up and went into his office before returning with a sheet of paper with an address and some phone numbers on it. "Right now," he said shortly.

I nodded and stood, taking the paper from him and turning to leave. I was almost at the elevator before I was turned and pushed against the wall and kissed slowly and tenderly with no tongue, just passion. Something new from Ranger, but very nice all the same.

"I have to ask, Babe. Was the kiss earlier to show the guys who's boss, or because you wanted to?" he asked in a sexy low voice.

I looked him in the eye, smiling big before replying. "Well, I always want to kiss you. But, showing off for the guys was justification for it. If I kissed you every time I wanted to, you'd die of suffocation. And just so you know, ending it was the hardest thing I've ever done."

He smiled the full 200 watts before saying, "Good answer. And just so you know, _letting_ you end it was the hardest thing I've ever done." He hesitated before continuing, "I'll miss you, Babe. More than you know."

"I'll be back Carlos. Count the days. I know I will. I'll miss you too. Every day from sunrise till sunset. Oh, and don't say anything to anyone. Let's see how long it takes for them all to figure it out. Bye, Carlos," I said before kissing him again quickly and gently, but enough to catch his attention.

The elevator doors had long closed, but Ranger stood stock still. Eventually he whispered to the empty forum, "Te amo, Babe. Be safe," before walking back inside and shutting the door behind him.

_Fly away_

_Fly away_

_Well most folks here,_

_Well, they don't dig too deep._

_They can't dream too big,_

_Cause they got fields to keep._

I was on the plane and having some second thoughts. What was I thinking? I've never been so far from home. I was alone and clueless. My family and friends were all back home and here I was sitting on a plane to a state that I had never been to before. Watch out guy snoring in the seat next to me with a booger hanging out your nose, I think I'm gonna hurl!

What if the guys at RangeMan Miami didn't like me? What if I couldn't do the job asked of me? What if I never came to a conclusion and ended up going back to Trenton just as clueless as when I left? God, too many "What-if's"!

Eventually, I just shook my head to clear it. I could feel a huge headache coming on and decided to just enjoy the ride.

_I could walk away,_

_And leave behind my family,_

_Or get buried alive in this legacy._

Ranger POV

_**6 Months Later**_

I walked into the Blue Moon bar. About 10 minutes ago, I got a call from the bouncer letting me know the presence of my most slippery recent FTA. I was thinking about how much easier this would be with Steph here when it hit me.

_Steph was sitting next to my FTA, chatting it up, being her distraction self._

She was still slim as ever but with more definition. Her skin was tanned a golden color and her hair had some blonde highlights mixed in with the brown. Her curls were still wild as ever, but still sexy as hell. She was dressed in dark wash jeans, a black halter top, and black, 3" FMP's.

My first thought was "Does she know he's a scum bag FTA who's charged with domestic violence on three counts?" and my second was, "Oh, holy Mary mother of God, Steph's back!" I know that they should have been reversed, but my first was concern was her safety.

_Angel carry me,_

_Oh so far away,_

_Make my body never,_

_Touch the ground._

_And if I promise you,_

_I'll be back someday,_

_Will you set me free,_

_So I can fly away?_

Twenty minutes later I had my FTA strapped into the car and my hip leaned against the door of the Bronco, staring into Steph's electric blue eyes. She stared back with a slight grin on her face.

I lost the contest and pulled her to me, crushing my lips against hers, wondering how the hell I made it through the last 6 months without my Wonder Woman.

She kissed me back and we stopped when a crowd had gathered around us, whistling and making noises. They backed off when they saw me glare menacingly and Steph had to stifle a snicker.

_Fly away_

_Fly away_

_I wanna sleep under a different piece of sky_

_I wanna live a little bit before I die_

_I wanna be so close to heaven I see angels…_

"My God Babe. You look great. How was Miami?" I asked her once we were back at my apartment.

"Thanks. It was great. How was your time without me?" she asked.

"It was the longest 5 years of my life," I replied.

"Five years? I was only gone for 6 months!" she said.

"Well, it sure felt like 5+ years. I figured it was close enough."

I wasn't acting like myself and I knew it. The look on her face was priceless though, and I just couldn't bring myself back down from the high of seeing her smile at me again. So much for the master of self-control.

"Did you get all your thinking done?"

"Yeah, I did."

"And…?"

"I can show you better than I can tell you," she said before kissing me softly.

_Carry me,_

_Oh so far away, _

_Make my body never,_

_Touch the ground._

_And if I promise you,_

_I'll be back someday,_

_Will you set me free,_

_So I can fly away?_

When we pulled apart I kept her held against me and leaned our foreheads together. "I'm surprised to see you back soon. I was expecting you to want to stay in Miami."

"You weren't there," she said breathlessly.

I was stunned but recovered quickly and smiled. I opened my mouth to speak, but stopped when her finger was pressed to my lips.

"You let me go. You were willing to let me do what I wanted, no matter what the consequences to your emotions might be. You helped me lift off, but you let me fly. I'm so sorry it took 6 months for me to figure out who really loved me and who couldn't give a shit about me. I love you, Carlos Manoso," she said without a trace of dishonesty in her voice.

"I love you too Babe. Always have. I'm sorry it took you so long too. But if that's what it took to make you mine, so be it. I'm glad you didn't blow me off, despite all my 'My life doesn't lend itself to relationships' shit. Thank God for your stubbornness."

"Every day for the rest of my life," she said.

She was wrong, though. She left something out. I did let her fly, but I flew with her. And I was still letting her fly, but I was there with her till the end, and nothing anyone said was going to change that.

_Fly away_

_Fly away_

_Fly away_

_Fly away

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_YEAH! My longest songfic ever! The song is "Fly Away" by Sugarland. It's an okay song but I thought it fit this situation well. 

Review for the sake of my sanity. PRETTY PLEASE!? If you do I'll reply. I promise!

I know it's kind of sappy, but I just couldn't help myself. Can't blame a girl for dreaming, right?

Hope you liked it!!


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